Sand, sea and sizzle! Christina Hendricks pours her ample curves into a series of VERY low cut dresses for magazine shoot

She will soon be back on the small screen again when the new season of Mad Men airs next month.

But Christina Hendricks is already whetting fans' appetites for the critically acclaimed show by appearing in a new sizzling beach magazine shoot.

The 36-year-old star looks stunning in a series of beautiful dresses as she poses on the sand with an ocean backdrop in the March issue of Blackbook magazine.

Buxom: Christina Hendricks pours her curves into a black and white low cut Marchesa strapless evening gown in a sultry shoot for the new March issue of BlackBook magazine

Despite being well-known for her curvy figure, the star tells the magazine that she's not interested in talking about her legendary hourglass frame.

'I’ve always been really comfortable
in my skin, but I’m really just a girl who would prefer talking about my
acting rather than my body,' she says.

'But I’m a very
comfortable naked person. Not in front of other people, but at home and
in front of my husband [actor Geoffrey Arend]. I feel good not wearing clothes.'

The actress is keeping quiet about the finer details of what happens in the new season of the AMC show, but says filming it 'went by in a blink.'

Containing the curves: The Mad Men actress looks stunning as she poses on a beach in a black and gold dress

'A lot happens this year,' she says. 'Last year was building up to what was going to happen with Don
and Betty, and although there’s that, so much happens with each
character this season that we were all like, "Whoa.”'

'And a lot happens to Joan.'

Different to her uber confident character, Christina had to find some untapped inner sass to channel Joan.

'The amazing thing about Joan is how confident she is,' she says. 'I was never that
confident. When we shot the pilot I was like, "Who is this woman? I’m not
friends with people like that.”'

Dressed for success: The star posed against a seaside backdrop in a low cut black Marchesa dress with gold tie

Cover girl: Christina discusses the forthcoming new season of Mad Men in the new issue

However, playing Joan has given her more bravado, she says.

'She’s living in the ’60s, but
she uses sexual innuendo, which is taboo. Because of that - and a very
tight green dress - she became a sexual character.

'She was very openly
saying, I have sex, and I don’t care if you judge me. I’m not going to
apologise for who I am. Those qualities resonated with people, and have
given me confidence.

'Just as I have changed, and as significant things have happened in my
life, like getting married and moving into a new home, Joan has gotten
married and gotten pregnant,' says Christina, in reference to Joan's surprising, news at the end of last season.

Having appeared in films I Don't Know How She Does It and Drive during the Mad Men hiatus, the star surely doesn't have too many worries about her career when the 1960s advertising drama comes to an end.

'The idea that we have two seasons left is a bit daunting,' says Christina. 'It’s been
nice to have security. A lot of us have been around for a while. We know
how cyclical this stuff is and how fleeting it can be, so the idea that
the show will end is certainly bubbling inside of me, but I’ve never
had a plan.'